This is such an important question, and I am thankful for your concern about speaking only God’s truth.  We read in 1 Peter 4:11, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God…”  An oracle simply means an utterance, or the word spoken.  When we seek to speak on behalf of God, our words must be in agreement with the divinely inspired Word of God, our words must come from the Word of God, and they must be confirmed by the Word of God.  To truly minister God’s truth, we must speak everything that is in it, and keep back nothing.  We must declare the whole counsel of God, and only what is in it, without mixing our own thoughts or ideas of what we want God’s Word to say.  Realizing that God’s Word is truly completely inspired of God (read 2 Timothy 3:16), we should make sure that we do nothing to detract from that truth by adding to or taking away from its meaning.  How serious an issue!  We are warned against adding to or taking away from God’s Word:

  • Deuteronomy 4:2, “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.”
  • Revelation 22:18-19, “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

How can we know that what we say agrees with God’s Word?  To do that, we must KNOW GOD’S WORD.  The Apostle Paul wrote these words in Ephesians 3:3-4, “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ).”  Paul was led of the Lord to write His Word.  He wrote so that we might understand God’s truths by reading it…by reading our Bibles.  When we read our Bibles, under the guidance of God’s Spirit, He will lead us into understanding.  One of the works of the Holy Spirit is to open God’s Word to us…to teach us from it.  The Lord Jesus said of the Spirit in John 16:13, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”  It is so vital for the believer that we find time to read God’s Word every day!  An older brother taught me years ago that we should not read the Bible when we have time…we need to MAKE TIME to read our Bibles.  Otherwise, we will not read it as often and as carefully as we should.  MAKE TIME to read your Bible so that you might learn what God’s Word says.

How can we know that what we say agrees with God’s Word?  To do that, we must RIGHTLY DIVIDE GOD’S WORD as we read in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  In this case, to study means to commit ourselves to properly understand God’s Word.  To know God’s Word is vital, but then we need to learn to rightly divide it for proper understanding.  The Amplified Bible (which can be very helpful to the student of God’s Word) translates this verse as, “Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth.”  In dependence on the Lord, we need to learn how to discern the truths found in God’s Word.  It is sadly amazing that different people can read their Bibles and come away with entirely different thoughts as to its meaning and application.  We must remember that the Lord will not teach things contrary to each other from His Word.  We should be completely dependent upon the Lord to show us the proper understanding of His Word.  How can we do that?  By sincerely seeking God’s truth by prayer…asking Him to reveal His Word’s precious truths to us.  I’m reminded of the words of Ephesians 1:17-18, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.” 

I know I have not exhausted the teaching of how to discern God’s truth from our own thoughts, but I trust these few words will be helpful to you as you learn God’s Word, understand and rightly divide it, and look to the Lord for guidance in knowing and sharing God’s Word…nothing more and nothing less.  (CC)  (712.2)